The young horse “DOLON” owned by Haif Mohammed Al Qahtani, under the supervision of French trainer Elizabeth Bernard and ridden by Jean-Bernard Eyquem, was crowned the champion of the Wathba Stallions Cup – Prix Arca for Purebred Arabian Horses 0f only four years. The event took place on the afternoon of Friday, August 18, 2023, at the French La Teste de Buch racecourse.
The organization of the festival follows the directives and encouragement of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Minister of Presidential Court and Chairman for the Emirates Arabian Horse Society, with the aim of developing the horse racing industry worldwide, supporting the preservation of purebred Arab horse breeds, and encouraging breeders to care for them across continents.
“DOLON” led by Jean-Bernard Eyquem, didn’t hesitate to showcase its skills, taking the lead in the final 200 meters of the race and winning by a neck over the runner-up, the mare “Hishemah” owned by Salmeen Abdullah Al Jaber, under the supervision of Elizabeth Bernard and ridden by Gary Sanchez.
The champion, descending from the lineage of “Al Murtajaz,” completed the race in a time of 1:49:22 minutes. The third place was secured by “Khatar Des Forges,” owned by Khalifa bin Sheail Al Kuwari, under the supervision of Thomas Demeaulte and ridden by Guillaume Guedj-gay, trailing the second-place horse by a margin of 2.5 lengths.
In the same event, the Emirati mare “Kalin Divialti,” owned by Saif Bakheet Marshoud Al Murr, under the supervision of Guy Lhermier and ridden by Antoine Werlé, shined in the Prix Djarmoun 1900-meter race, winning with a 3-length advantage over the runner-up mare “Al Basra” from Al Shabab Racing.
On another note, the track in Służewiec, Warsaw, Poland, will host the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cup and the Wathba Stallions Cup on August 20, 2023. The races will feature strong contenders vying for the titles.
The Wathba Stallions Cup race, known as the “Nagroda Emaela, will cover a distance of 1600 meters for three-year-old purebred Arabian horses, with a prize of €14,875. The favored contenders include “Maximus” from the Urbanowski Stable, under the supervision of Radoslaw Rochomski and ridden by K. Mazur, as well as “Kareem” owned by Khalifa Matar Al Niyadi, under the supervision of C. Verger and ridden by A. Rizanikov.
Furthermore, the French racecourse in Royan will host the Wathba Stallions Cup Prix Alban Jamme over a distance of 1600 meters, with a prize of €12,000. Notable horses competing for the title include “Al Modura” owned by Eric Delouvez, trained by Eric Delouvez, and ridden by Matthias Lauron, as well as “Al Hidab” owned by Sheikha Yasmin Al Thani, ridden by Emeline Revolte, and “Mr. Grisou” from the Al Shabab Racing, ridden by Julien Goudjai.
The festival’s inaugural race started strongly on January 11 of this year. With the addition of new races in the 2023 season, the festival includes a total of 152 local and international races around the world, covering various categories such as first, second, and third-class races.
The HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Horse Racing Festival is sustained by the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, with National Feed as strategic partner, The National Library & Archives as the official partner , MUBADALA as the official partner ,Emirates Airline as the official carrier, Etisalat as official sponsor & sponsored by Al Massood Automobiles Nissan, Areej Alameerat, Omeir Travels Agency, YAS Sports TV, Viola Communications, the UAE’s General Women’s Union , Emirates International Endurance Village, Emirates Arabian Horse Society & Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.
